DS9 Season 4 Recap

Introduction

One more season of DS9 comes to a close, and by all metrics, this is the best season of DS9 so far. Even when not dealing with the Dominion and Klingon arcs, this season seemed to have real momentum. More than anything, the show really seems to have found its own voice in its stories, rather than falling back on trying to tell a story using TNG's episode model as a guide.

Jake-O... time to visit Garak's shop for some new duds.

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Broken Link

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Broken Link"
Airdate: June 17, 1996
96 of 173 produced
96 of 173 aired

Introduction

Odo is stricken by a mysterious illness that threatens his life. With no other recourse, the crew takes him to the Gamma Quadrant in the hope that the Founders can cure him.

You can't do that on television!

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Body Parts

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Body Parts"
Airdate: June 10, 1996
95 of 173 produced
95 of 173 aired

Introduction

Keiko O'Brien suffers an injury that necessitates the transplant of her fetus to Major Kira. Meanwhile, Quark suffers with the knowledge of his impending death, and must decide how to wind up his affairs.

 Quark tries out a new asphyxiation program in the holosuite.

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: The Quickening

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"The Quickening"
Airdate: May 20, 1996
93 of 173 produced
94 of 173 aired

Introduction

Doctor Bashir finds a planet in the Delta Quadrant infected by an engineered Dominion plague. It dooms the people to a slow, agonizing death, but not until well into adulthood, so the suffering population can serve a warning to those who would disobey the Dominion. Can he find a cure? Will the defeated, skeptical people accept it if he does?

Reminds me of Detroit.

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: To The Death

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"To the Death"
Airdate: May 13, 1996
94 of 173 produced
93 of 173 aired

Introduction

Sisko and crew are forced into an unusual alliance when they learn that a band of renegade Jem'Hadar have taken control of an Iconian gateway.

Computer, halt turbolift! Initiate dramatic pause circuit...

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: For the Cause

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"For the Cause"
Airdate: May 6, 1996
92 of 173 produced
92 of 173 aired

Introduction

The station is going to be shepherding a series of industrial replicators to Cardassia to help them rebuild after their war with the Klingons. Expecting the Maquis to attempt to interfere, the station is on high alert. More problematic, though, is the person Odo and Eddington single out as a suspected Maquis: Kasidy Yates.

In the future, all sports are inscrutably embellished and have ridiculous headgear. It's a thing.

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: The Muse

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"The Muse"
Airdate: April 29, 1996
91 of 173 produced
91 of 173 aired

Introduction

Lwaxana shows up on DS9 again for some reason - this time, pregnant and fleeing her babydaddy. Meanwhile, Jake meets a creepy old lady who gets off on watching young men write things.

Also, Odo gets married. There's something for everyone!

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Shattered Mirror

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Shattered Mirror"
Airdate: April 22, 1996
90 of 173 produced
90 of 173 aired

Introduction

The Mirror Universe's Jennifer Sisko appears and takes Jake back with her as a ploy to lure Captain Sisko back. They have built their own version of the Defiant, and need his help to finish the project before the Alliance arrives to retake Terok Nor from the fledgling Rebels.

OK, this is a little on the nose, don't you think?

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Hard Time

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Hard Time"
Airdate: April 15, 1996
89 of 173 produced
89 of 173 aired

Introduction

Chief O'Brien is accused of espionage on an alien world and sentenced to an unusual punishment - living out decades of a prison sentence in a matter of hours. When he returns to the station a young man, his friends must help him pick up the pieces.

Keiko and Miles debate the meaning of the phrase "last straw."

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Rules of Engagement

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Rules of Engagement"
Airdate: April 8, 1996
88 of 173 produced
88 of 173 aired

Introduction

Worf is facing a hearing to determine if he will be extradited to the Klingon Empire for trial. While protecting a civilian convoy from Klingon attack, he opened fire on a ship that turned out to be a Klingon civilian ship, killing everyone aboard. Not only is his freedom at stake, but finding a Starfleet officer culpable in a massacre could weaken the Federation's position in the entire area. However, as is so often the case with Klingons and their politics, not everything is as it seems.

 And one! And two! And stretch! and ROOOOAAARRR!!!!

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Accession

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Accession"
Airdate: February 24, 1996
87 of 173 produced
87 of 173 aired

Introduction

Sisko is forced to reevaluate his role in Bajor's spiritual life when a renowned poet from the planet's past emerges from the wormhole, claiming to be the Emissary of Bajor's Prophets.

Folks, when your D'jarra involves sculpting clay butt plugs, you need to rethink your culture's caste system.

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Bar Association

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Bar Association"
Airdate: February 19, 1996
86 of 173 produced
86 of 173 aired

Introduction

Rom leads a strike against Quark's management of the bar when his cuts and employee abuses go too far.

 I sense a dance number about the break out. "You ain't bad! You ain't nothing!"

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Sons of Mogh

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Sons of Mogh"
Airdate: February 12, 1996
85 of 173 produced
85 of 173 aired

Introduction

Worf is forced to choose between Klingon values and Federation ones when his downtrodden brother comes to him, asking for a violent personal favor.

In this week's episode, we learn that the Runabout chairs recline into sleepers. Which is good, because we sure as hell didn't learn much about the characters.

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Return to Grace

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Return to Grace"
Airdate: February 5, 1996
84 of 173 produced
84 of 173 aired

Introduction

Kira is sent to a conference in Cardassian space to help with their war efforts against the Klingons. The ship sent to ferry her there is captain by a disgraced Dukat, now left to shuttling cargo after the revelation of his half-Bajoran daughter. Upon arriving, they find the conference destroyed and a Klingon ship bearing down on them.

I don't always drink Spring Wine. But when I do...

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Crossfire

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Crossfire"
Airdate: January 29, 1996
83 of 173 produced
83 of 173 aired

Introduction

While visiting the station, Shakaar is a target of both an assassin as well as Kira's affections. Odo's feelings for Kira come into sharp and painful focus as he realizes that she is slipping away from him and into Shakaar's arms.

Major Kira's obliviousness is not helping the situation.

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Paradise Lost

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Paradise Lost"
Airdate: January 8, 1996
82 of 173 produced
82 of 173 aired

Introduction

In the face of the planetwide power outage, the Federation President has all but declared martial law on Earth. As Sisko investigates the problem, things don't add up quite the way they should. Eventually, he discovers that Admiral Leyton was behind the sabotage, in an attempt to justify a coup by Starfleet.

Thank you, sir! May I have another?

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Homefront

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Homefront"
Airdate: January 1, 1996
81 of 173 produced
81 of 173 aired

Introduction

Sisko is called back to Earth after a terrorist attack on a diplomatic meeting indicates the presence of violent changelings. While there he must balance the preservation of the idyllic way of life that humans have achieved with the sacrifices demanded by heightened security.

Welcome to Earth! Where material want and menial toil have been eliminated from the human experience. Well, except for Jose, your busboy.

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Our Man Bashir

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Our Man Bashir"
Airdate: November 27, 1995
80 of 173 produced
80 of 173 aired

Introduction

Sisko, Dax, Worf, and O'Brien are almost killed when their runabout is sabotaged. Beaming them out at the last second, but unable to rematerialize them, their patterns are stored in the station computer, with unexpected consequences. The computer recasts characters in Dr. Bashir's spy fantasy holoprogram with the patterns of the crew. Now, Dr. Bashir, with the help of Garak, must not only survive the dangerous life of a spy, he can't resort to simply killing his opponents, since doing so will cost him his friends and crewmates.

Say, are those bite marks I see on Madagascar?

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: The Sword of Kahless

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"The Sword of Kahless"
Airdate: November 20, 1995
79 of 173 produced
79 of 173 aired

Introduction

Worf is introduced to the Klingon Dahar Master Kor on the eve of his greatest quest - to find the mythical sword of Kahless, the founder of the Klingon Empire. Worf gets more than he bargained for, though, when possession of the sword causes division between him and his erstwhile hero.

It was a perfect day... when I found a sword with you...

Deep Space Nine, Season 4: Little Green Men

Deep Space Nine, Season 4
"Little Green Men"
Airdate: November 15, 1995
78 of 173 produced
78 of 173 aired

Introduction

Quark has finally gotten the ship his cousin Gaila owed him and has decided its maiden voyage should be taking Nog to Starfleet Academy. What could possibly go wrong? (Spoiler alert: Lots.)

On closer inspection, these ears are clearly FAKE!